l langenheim



H. LANGENHEIM.

' WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION HEEb OCT. 2a. 1915.

1 1 94,3 97 Patnted Aug. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

lEiimuli la iimlllllgm WITNESSI lNVENTOR.

MS ATTORNEY H. LANGENHEIM WATER HE'AT'ER. APPLICATION mac ocnzg. r915 4- 494,397. I 4 I PatentedAugilai, 1916.

murals sra'ras PATENT QFFICE.

HAY LANGENHEIM, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed October 28, 1915. Serial N0. 58,331.

2 wherein gas is used for fuel.

The invention has forits principal objects to provide a heater that is not liable to get out of order, to provide a heater wherein the supply of gas to the burner is entirely under the control of the differences in temperature of the incoming and outgoing water, thus dispensing with the usual water motor or valve for operating the gas valve and'its tendency to stick and prevent proper operation of the gas valve, andto dispense with the use of springs in the gas control. p

l'Vith the above objects in view, my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of jiiarts as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

.In the accompanymg drawings which form a: part of this specification I have shown one embodiment of my invention, in which- I i Figure 1 is a vertical side elevation of the gas controlling mechanism, partly in section. Fig. 2 3S :1 plan thereof, in section, on

the line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan thereof in full, and Fig. 4 is a vertical side elevation of a heater showing the applica tion of the mechanism thereto.

Referring to said drawings for a description of the detail parts and their arrangement, the numeral 1 designates the shell of a heater. having a suitable gas burner in the base thereof, also a pilot burner thereabove for igniting the gas from the burner (not shown) said shell iuelosim. a suitable water circulating coil having an intake 2 and out- ;Qt-

The gas line 4 leading from the source of supplvto the burner of the heater has interposed therein, below the cock 5, a divided gas chamber, formed of the two connected sections 6 and 7, having a-communicating gas crificeS formed therebetween which has a valve seat thereabout. ,The upper section 29 at the opposite side.

has a disk gasvalve 9 therein for controllil'ig the gas through the orifice, said valve having a downwardly extended stem 10 and an upwardly extended stem- 11, the latter extending up and loosely fitting into an opening in the cap 12 provided with a stufiing box 13. In the lower section is arranged a vertically disposed lever support- 14: haw inga bifurcated extension 14 thereon, between which is pivoted at its rear end, a horizontally-disposed lever 15 which extends over to and beneath the gas valve stem 10. The forward eiidof this lever has a pocket formed therein, into which is loosely fitted a small piston 16 having a stem 17,

surrounded by a spring 18 and provided with anut 19 for regulating the. tension of the spring. Another lever 20 is pivoted at its lower end on the lever rest and engages a shouldered portion at the rear of the aforesaid lever 15. Slidably disposed in this chamber is also a thrust pin 21, the point .of which is in engagement with the aforesaid second lever 16.

Connected to-the outlet end 3 of the heater coil and to the supply line 22, is a thermostat casing, 23, which is connected at one end to the valve section 7. This casing incloses a tubular thermostat24, which is also connected at one end to the gas chamber section 7, the outer end of which is closed. Within this tube is arranged a porcelain rod 25, which engages at its rear. end with the head of the tube and at its forward. end

with the thrust pin 21, said thermostat being adapted to assist in the actuating of the gas valve through the medium of the rod, thrust pin, and levers, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Integral with the upper valve chamber section (3 is a casing 26 provided with a removable lid 27, which casing has a pair of lugs 28 formed on one side and another pair Pivotally mounted at its rear in the lugs 28 is a lever 30, the forward end .of which is bifurcated and straddles a spool 31 which is mounted on a stem 32 and extends down through the stuiv 7 ing box of the cap 12 into engagement with the stem of thegas valve. Pivotally mounted at its rear, between the lugs 29, is another lever 33, provided at its outer end with an adjustables'crew 3a which engages the aforesaid lever 30.

Secured to the casing 26 is a pair of vertically disposed rods 35, connected together the coil in the heater.

at their upper ends by a transverse plate 3 Secured at its upper end to'this plate, by a nut 37, and to the intake or upper end of the heater cbil is a vertically disposed tubular thermostat 38, which is also connected at its lower end, at -V, to the cold water service line 39. This thermostat is provided with a pin 40 engaging the lever 33 and is adapted to operate the gas valve in an opposite direction to and close the same against the action of the other thermostat, through the medium of the levers and 30 and the stem 32, as will be hereinafter described. For heating this tubular thermostat, there is arranged a small gas burner 41 thereabout, both of which areinclosed by a casing 42. Connected with this burner is a small gassupply line 43, taken from the main gas line 4 above the cock -5 thereof, said line-43 having also a'small cock 44 therein, for regulating the supply of gas to the burner. This line 43 also extends down to and supplies the pilot in theheater,

there being a cock 45 therein for regulating the supply thereto. Another branch line 46 connects this line 43 with the gas chamber below the. valve, said line 46 having therein a cock 47 to re ulate the supply and a check valve 48. In or er to confine the heat from the gas combustion about the body of the thermostat tube 38, aspirally .W'ound. coil of wire 50 is disposed thereabout. In the drawings, the gas valve and its op erating thermostats are shown as in their normal positions of valve closute,;-it being understood that there is a. small gas flame from the burner 41 playing'about the tubular thermostat 38 at all times, also, a flame from the'pilot light.

In operation, when water is to bedrawn from the heater, the Lfaucet 51 is opened, which causes the water 'to circulate through Now as the incomin cold water passes through the tubular thermostat 38, said thermostat cools oil and contracts, and as the lower thermostat 24 is normally cool and therefore expands, the gas "alve being under tension by the pressure of the; said thermostat 24, through the medium of the rod 25, thrust pin 21, and lcvcrs 16 and'lfi, the gas valve opens. As the gas valve thus opens, it raises the pin 32 and adjusts the levers 30 and 33 in accordance to the distance permitted by con traction of the upper thermostat 38. Gas being supplied to the heater burner, it is ignited by the pilot light, causing the flame to play on the coil and heat the Water cir culating therethrough. heated and reaches a predetermined temperature. in passing about the thermostat 34. said thermostat expands, causing the 'rod 525 to move therewith and slackcn up the pressure exerted on the gas valve. This slackening of pressure permits the gas valve,

As the water is and cut off the gas supply to the burner when the temperature of the water reaches a predetermined degree. As the water flowing through the coil falls below this degree and passes about the thermostat 24, it again contracts and opens the gas valve, thegas being ignited and again heats up the water in the coil. This operation of automatically opening and closing the gas valve continues as long as water is being drawn. VVhen' water ceases to be drawn, the thermostat 38 becomes heated and expands, and in expanding actuate's the levers 33 and 30 and pin 32, and-foices the gas valve 'to close against the opposing action of the thermc stat 24. In closing the gas valve against the opposing action ,of the said thermostat 24, the spri'n 18 becomes depressed, thus reventing injury to the lever mechanism. Should at the time of closing oil? the water, the thermostat 24 be hot, the valve will gravitate more or less to its seat, or be en-' tirely closed, before the premure of the upper thermostat 38 be exerted thereon. During the operation of the heater, when the gas valve is open, the flame from the burner 41 abput the thermostat 38 is somewhat increased, -by theadditional supply of gas thereto from the chamber 7 by way of the small branch pipe 46, the pressure unseating the valve in the check 48. When the "gas valve 9 closes, the valve in the check 48 seats and cuts off the supply-through this 1 branchJ By supplying additional heat to the thermostat 38, during the" operation of the heater, the coil 50 and air surrounding the thermostat is kept suiliciently hot to cause ,the said thermostat more quickly to heat up and operate when water ceases to be drawn. v

Having thus shown and described an operative embodiment of my; in ntion what I I claim and desire to scour Patent is 1. In a water heater, a gas burner, a gas valve, a water heating coil, thermostatic means through which the water passes to the'intake of said coil for operating said 'y' Letters gas valve in one direction, and independ-' ent thermostatic means at the outlet ofsaid coil for operating said valve in the opposite dircctiorn I i 2. Ina \vat'e .hcater, a gas burner, a gas valve, a \\'ate11"heating coil, a thermostat through which water passes to the intake of said coil, moans operated by said thermostat for operating the gas valve in one direction, a thermostat in the coil circuit at the outlet thereof, and means operated by said thermostat for operating said valve in the opposite direction.

3. In a water heater, a gas burner, a gas valua water heating coil, thermostatic means at intake of said coil for operatdug the misvalve in one direction a as ,3 i b gas can therein, a Water heating coil, a tubular thermostat forming a part of the intake of said coil, means operated thereby for operating the valve in one direction,

a gas burner connected to said conduit for heating said tubnlfrthermostat, a gas supply also leading from the gas valve chamher tosaid thermostat burner, and thermostat means at. the outlet of said coil to valve-1n the oppos te d1- rectioa' r V 5. In a Water heater, :1 gas burner, a gas conduit leading thereto, a gas chamber, a gas valve therein, a water heating coil, a tubular thermostat forming a part of the intake of said coil, means-operated thereby for. operating the gas valve in one direction, a gas burner connected to said conduit for heating said tubular thermostat, a gas supply also leading from the gas valve chamber to said thermostat burner, thermostat means at the outlet of said coil, and means oper- ,ated by said thermostat to operate said gas valve in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereoffl have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses HAY LANGENHEIM. 'In the presence of JAMIE HAY, JNo. P. R INECKE. 

